Phlox plant named ‘Dophlospribl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Dophlospribl’, characterized by its outwardly spreading to creeping and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; large light violet-colored flowers with deep violet-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox subulata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLOSPRIBL’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier,The Netherlands on Aug. 12, 2020, application number 2020/1896. Foreignpriority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orApplicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior artexemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior tothe filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filingdate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox subulata and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Dophlospribl’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new freely-flowering Phlox plants withlarge attractive flowers.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in April, 2010 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of an unnamedproprietary selection of Phlox subulata, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Phlox subulata,not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in April, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since June, 2011 hasshown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dophlospribl’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Dophlospribl’ as a new and distinct Phloxplant:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading to creeping and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large light violet-colored flowers with deep violet-colored        centers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the parentselections in plant and flowering habit as plants of the new Phlox aremore uniform and more freely flowering than plants of the parentselections.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox subulata‘Coral Eyes’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of thenew Phlox and ‘Coral Eyes’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox flower later than plants of ‘Coral        Eyes’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Coral Eyes’ differ in flower        color as plants of the new Phlox have light violet-colored        flowers with deep violet-colored centers whereas plants of        ‘Coral Eyes’ have pink-colored flowers with dark pink-colored        centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical floweringplant of ‘Dophlospribl’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring in 17-cm containersinitially in a glass-covered greenhouse and finished in an outdoornursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practicestypical of commercial Phlox production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged15° C. Plants were pinched one time two weeks after planting rootedyoung plants and plants were 45 weeks old when the photograph and thedescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, SecondEdition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significanceare used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox subulata ‘Dophlospribl’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Phlox subulata, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Phlox subulata, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at            temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days            at temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown            as a container and garden plant; outwardly spreading to            creeping and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and            relatively slow growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 35 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely branching habit            with numerous primary and secondary lateral branches            developing per plant. Length: About 15 cm. Internode length:            About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 10° from            vertical to horizontal. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 145B; with development,            close to 199D.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire, slightly ciliate.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Hyphodromous.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 141A; venation, close to 141A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 141C; venation,            close to 141C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and            salverform flowers arranged in terminal and lateral            panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending            on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with            about ten open flowers per inflorescence and about 650            flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 38            weeks after planting; plants flower in April and May in the            garden in The Netherlands; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Elliptical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: Close to 92B.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 9 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.1 cm to 2.2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe            length: About 1.1 cm. Lobe width: About 8 mm. Lobe shape:            Obcordate. Lobe apex: Emarginate. Lobe margin: Entire;            slightly undulate. Lobe texture and luster, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Lobe texture and luster, lower            surface: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Throat texture and            luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster:            Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 84B. When opening, lower surface: Close to            91C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 91B; towards the            throat, close to 95A; venation, close to 91B; color becoming            closer to 91D with development. Fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 91C; venation, close to 91C; color becoming closer            to 91D with development. Throat: Close to 93A; venation,            close to 93A. Tube: Close to 92A; venation, close to 92A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, tubular in shape.            Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly            deltoid, subulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture            and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; glossy.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 137A tinged with close to 187B. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 143A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 60° from lateral            branch axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color:            Close to 145A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Flexible. Aspect: About 5° to 30° from peduncle            axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to            174A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to            145C. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Elliptical.            Anther color: Close to 3A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen            color: Close to 17A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color: Close to            145A. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color: Close to 145D.            Ovary color: Close to 143B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Phlox.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind,    temperatures ranging from −35° C. to 35° C. and to be suitable for    USDA Hardiness Zone 3.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Phlox plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Dophlospribl’ asillustrated and described.